Perak MB: Students under EMCO not given Raya food from outside for safety reasons

GERIK (Bernama): The 680 individuals quarantined at the Pengkalan Hulu Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) here under the enhanced movement control order (MCO) were not given Hari Raya Aidilfitri delicacies from outside as only food from appointed suppliers is permitted, to curb food poisoning.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad (pic) said the cooked food suppliers appointed by Mara were responsible for providing nutritious and safe food to all the students and teachers involved, in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOP).

“We fear that if outside food is allowed and food poisoning occurs, how are we to know the cause? Was it from the food provided by the appointed suppliers or from outside?

"I understand many people want to give alms by sending pulut (glutinous rice), lemang and so on but I apologise because all the food they want to bring in must be sent to the Disaster Operations Control Centre first to ensure it is safe for consumption," he told reporters on Sunday (May 16) at MRSM.

The locality was placed under a 14-day enhanced MCO from the first day of Hari Raya (May 13).

Social media was abuzz with claims that students at MRSM were not given any special Hari Raya delicacies and only received food of poor quality.

Saarani advised the public not to misuse social media to spread false information as this would cause worry among parents and families of students at the college.

He also said a meeting at the district office this morning decided to tighten the SOP for the MCO in the Pengkalan Hulu district to prevent Covid-19 from spreading to the community outside the college.

He said this included no cross-district activities except for urgent matters, shortening business hours, and increasing enforcement to ensure SOP compliance.

In ALOR GAJAH, meanwhile, police said the enhanced MCO on Kampung Lubok Redan in Masjid Tanah, imposed from midnight on Saturday to May 29, affects 531 people in 151 houses.

Alor Gajah district police chief Supt Arshad Abu advised residents and users of the main road in the Lubok Redan area to comply with directives.

He said a 24-hour operations room had been set up in the Kampung Ujong Padang community hall with various departments and agencies stationed there to channel any kind of aid needed to the villagers.

He also said eight rat trails used as alternative routes to get in and out of the village were being monitored.

A check found a barbed-wire barricade across the main road to the village. The roadblock was manned by the police, military and Rela.

Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the enhanced MCO was to prevent any spread of Covid-19 to the community outside the village. – Bernama